The First Intifada: A History from Beginning to End

The First Intifada was an uprising in the Gaza Strip and West Bank that began in 1987 and ended in 1993. There are two quite different and contradictory historical perspectives on this conflict. Palestinians generally viewed the uprising as a popular resistance movement against military occupation and policies they experienced as oppressive. From the Israeli side, however, the actions taken were seen as a reasonable and legitimate response to protect citizens and soldiers from violence and to maintain order in territory under their control.

With the benefit of thirty years of hindsight, is it possible to consider a more balanced account of the First Intifada? Why did it begin, what happened, and how did it lead to changes in the Gaza Strip that have shaped subsequent developments in the region to the present day? This is the complex story of the First Intifada.